Child&#39;s power shovel



06:. 13, 1931. F, P RMAN 1,827,541

cmmfs POWER SHOVEL Filed Aug. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE Y Oct. 13, 1931. o F, OPPERMAN 1,827,541

CHILDS POWER SHOVEL Filed Aug. 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR '4. 032:0 Qo oerma/y zd ma combination thereof, as hereinafter set forth.

Patented 0a. is, 931- OTTO I. OPTERIAN, OI SEATTLE, WASHIHGTON GHILDS PQWER BHOVEL Application fled An a: 25, 1930. Serial 1a. 411,551.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly, to apparatus of this character simulating the construction and operation of a steamshovel, the object, generally stated, being the provision of a strong, inex ensive and attractive device which will a 0rd amusement and exercise to a child.

A particular object is the provision of a device reproducing, both in appearance and activity, the characteristics inherent toa steam shovel as generally used forengineerin excavations.

he invention presents certain combinati0ns of elements adaptable for use as operating mechanisms, both in commercial and in toy sizes, and'for a wide range of tools and other working elements'which are directly applied 'to the desired dut With the above and further objects and advantages in view, such as willappear in the following detailed description and claims, the invention consists in the novel construction of parts, and in the arrange'ment and In the accompanying drawings,--

Figure 1 is a top p an view' of apparatus embodying the present invention, full and broken lines respectively indicating dispositions of associated parts responsive to swivel activity of the frame, the view particularly illustrating the invention as applied to toy excavating ap aratus. Figure 2 is a side elevation thereo the closed osition of apivoted bucket'body being ilustrated by full lines and the open position thereof by broken lines. Figure 3 is an end elevation "with parts broken away andshown in section; and

igure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 1 with the bucket shown in its relatively extended dis osition. v

he invention simulates-the construction and operation of a powerv shovel and comprises a. .base or body portion consisting of a pair of laterally spaced skid-runners 6 a transverse bolster member 7 and a j a ck eg 8- su ported by said bolster medially of its width. r 5* A frame is designed to have swivel activity in a horizontal plane upon the aforesaid base,

verse pintle 16 is journaled and to this end a reach 9 is journalled for movement through an arc of substantially 270 about the axis of a-vertically disposed inverted king-bolt 10 which is passed through the bolster 7, jack leg 8 and reach 9, a" nut 11 engaging the king-bolt 10 at the to and securing the several arts together. The relatively movable surihces of the jack leg 8 and reach 9 are spaced by washers 12 which permit the free turning-0f the vreach 9 relative to the. base, the several arts being secured to ethei' with'a non-bin in fit.

he vertical axis aboutw ich the reach 9 swings is disposed adjacent one end of the reach and, as shown in the drawin is adjacent the rear extremity 13 of said reach, a saddle or seat 14 being secured to the latter back of the kin -bolt 10 so as tocounterbalance the weig t of the operator with respect to bucket-actuating construction hereinafter described.

The extended or forward section of said reach is suitably conformed to present a nodular projection 15throu or pivota'lly' supporting the elbow 17 of acrank-configured member 18, saidmember constituting, with lever 19, link 20, and a bucket-arm or dipperstick 21, a jointed control lever for governing the disposition of a bucket or dipper, generally represented b 22.

The crank mem er 18 constitutes a rocker arm which is provided with a rigid handle 25 for manual control at its rear end, said rocker arm being pivoted at its front end to the bucket-arm 21 a distance from but relatively near one end of the the latter, which distance is indicated by the character 21'. The link 20 is pivoted at one end to the extreme end portion of the dipper-stick 21 and at the other end to the'lever 19 intermediate theends of the latter. The lever 19 constitutes a manual control for the link 20 and the bucket-arm 21 and is pivotally connected adjacent its bottom end to the crank lever 18 and to reach 9 by means of the pintle 16. The crank lever 18 and the bucket-arm 21 are thus h which a transadapted to swing in vertical planes collec-' arm 21.

Said crank member preferably comprises two spaced-apart conjointly movable members 23, 24, arranged for straddling engagement over said integlral control lever and over thefulcrum of t e aforesaid bucket- The preferred construction of bucket 22 provides, rigid with the extreme outer end of said arm 21, a back wall 26, pins 28 .pivotally' supporting a scoop 29 by the side walls 30 thereof upon lateral flanges of the back wall. A cord '31 is secured at one end to the control lever 25 and passes through an eyebolt32 secured to the crank lever 18 andis secured' at its other end to one of the side walls 30 of the bucket 22, this cord. 31 being loose, v and thus affording a controlled discharge-of the bucket contents, as represented in dotted lines, Fi 2. v

For e ectingthe swivel activity of the reach 9 and the excavating mechanism abouta vertical axis, by the feet of the .operator.

while sitting u onthe saddle 14, I provide a cross bar 33 crumed intermediate of its ends upon a vertically-disposed bolt 35 mounted in the forward end of the reach 9, this cross bar being formed with foot-engaging recesses 34 upon both sides of its pivotal connection and being pivotally connected ad-' jacent one end to one end of a link 36 which at its other end is pivotally bolster 7. crumed to the bolster member 7 rearwardl of the vertical transverse plane of the reach axis 10 and projected therefrom, in a normal dis osition of the reach medially between the ski e-runners 6, in a manner to afiord an acute angular arrangement in its intersection with the cross-bar 33.- In this particular, attention is directed to the resultant provision for a most extensive field of operation within which the bucket or other suitable toolmay work the free swinging activity interrupted only by contact-of the ink 36 with the jackleg 8 or a swingable arrangement closely approximatin' a 270 arc. v

For facilitating the dumping operation of the bucket contents, a lock is provided for the crank lever 18, 1n various selective positions, through the medium of a lever 37 pivoted at one end in the reach 9 and having one edge formedwith a plurality of slots 39 I adapted selectively to be engaged with an extension 38 of one of the bolts which secures together at one end the two s aced members 23 and 24 forming the crank ever 18. Such engagement of the lever 37 with the crank lever 18 is shown in broken lines in Figure 2.

In operation, the action of the operators feet, 'such engaging recessions 34 of the foot bar, determines the location of the reach frame in the desired performance of a dirt or sand excavation. Pressure outwardly upon lever 19 retracts the bucket 22 into a position, cooperatively with subsequent presconnected to the Said link 36 1s preferably ful-- on the reach vertical plane,

sure outwardly uponlever 25, to disdpose the scoop member 29 adjacent the desire ground excavation. Power application upon the lever 19 effects a movement ofthe bucket about its fulcrum at the outer end of the crank lever 18 to pick up such sand or gravel as constitutes the desired excavation. Subsequent actuation of control levers 25 and .19, cooperating with the foot-actuated horizontal swinging of-the reach frame, disposes the bucket in a suitable position whereby the load, through cord 31, may be dischar ed into a miniature truck, wagon or'such ot er receptacleas may be desired.

The invention will,- it is believed, be evident from the foregoing, and. while I- have illustrated and herein described a preferred embodiment new best seen to attain the objectives contemplated, it is not my intention to particularly confine myself except by the scope of the hereto'annexed claims.

' What I claim, is

1. In -a power shovel controlled by the feet andhands of an operator, a skid-runner base and a frame arranged for. swivel activity thereon, sa1d framecom r1s1n a reach, a pair of spaced-apart cran -con gured members' having the elbow portions arranged for straddling engagement over said reach, a. transversely disposed pintle securing said members and reach for pivotal activity, a dipper-stick fulcrumed to the outer extremity of said pair of members, and.a dipper thereon, acontrol lever for actuating said pair of members and integral therewith, a

' lever pivoted to said pintle, a'link carried by said second-mentioned lever and enga able with said dipper-stick in offset dispositlon of its fulcrum, a cross-bar pivoted medially of its length to said, reach forwardly of the swivel axis of the latter, asaddle supported rearwardly of said swivel'axis,

a link pivotall interconnecting an end of said cross-bar to the base, and means to open the contents therein the outer end of said arm, a dipper-stick fulcrumed on said bolt, a dipper thereon,

means carried by said reach and. connected to said dipper-stick for controlling the activity of said dipper-stick, means carrid by said reach for controlling the horizontal 1o hngthe same, a second lever pivoted on sa1d swivel activity of said'reach, and means for dischargingt e dipper.

3. A chllds manually controlled power shovel'of a character affording vertical compound motion about horizontal axes, comprising a frame, an arm pivoted for vertical arcuate activity on said frame, a dipperstick pivoted to said arm in ofi'set disposition of the'arm axis, a dipper on said dipperstick, a lever fixed to said arm for controlframe, and a link pivotally connected at its ends to said second lever and tosaid dipperstick.

mounted for horizontal swivel activity on said base, and foot-actuated means for controlling said activity comprising a foot-conand a dipper-supporting frame swiveled on 8. In a toy shovel, a base, a frame mounted said base, of means for contrplling said swivel action, said means comprising two arms respectively pivoted to the frame and base and pivotally interconnected between their respective pivotal connections with the frame and base.

6., Operating mechanism comprising a base, a reach having a vertical axisof rotation in the base, an operating lever mounted on the reach, movable therewith, and also having a path of movement in a vertical plane, a saddle mounted on the reach, said lever being operable from the saddle, a crossbar pivoted intermediate its ends to tlre reach, and means for swinging the reach on its vertical axis by the actuation of the cross-bar.

7. A toy comprising a base, a reach having a vertical axis of rotation in the base, a saddle mounted on the reach, means supported by the reach for turning the latter on its vertical axis, an arm pivotally mounted on the reach for rocking movement in a vertical plane, a tool pivotally carried by the arm, and means pivotally carried by the reach for actuating said tool and operable from'said saddle.

thereon in ofi'set. disposition of the frame center and arranged for swivel activity in a horizontal plane,-a sad dle mounted upon the short section of the frame, a foot lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the frame and adjacent the 'end of the long section thereof, an arm mounted upon the longsection of 'said frame and having ahorizontal axis for activity in a vertical plane, and a second arm mounted on said first armand provided with a scoop and having a horizontal axis for activity in a vertical plane, both of said arms 4:. In a toy-of a character aflording swivel "activity about a vertical axis, a base, a frame being manually operable and a link pivoted at one end to one end 0 the foot lever and at its other end to the base.

9. A toy comprising a base, a platform secured to said base and having an. upwardly extending pivot element rising therefrom, aframe rotatable about the pivot element, mounted on said platform and including a seat above said platform, a rocker arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said frame for swinging movement in a vertical plane, one end of said rocker arm forming a handle, a workin tool pivotally mounted on the opposite en of said rocker arm, and means or actuating said tool, said means being pivotally carried by said frame.

10. In a toy, a base, supporting means secured to said base and having an upwardly extending pivot element rising therefrom, a frame mounted on said supporting means and rotatable about said pivot element and having a saddle supported rearwardly of said pivot element, a pair of connected arms arranged at an angle to each other, and constituting a crank lever, said crank lever being pivotally carried by said frame forwardly of said pivot element for swinging motion ma substantially vertical plane, a dipper-stick pivoted adjacent the remote end of said crank lever, a scoop carried by said di per-stick,

and means carried by sa1d frame or actuating said dipper-stick and operable from said saddle. I j

11. In a to of a character affordin swivel activity about a vertical axis, a ase, a frame mounted for swivel activity on said base and having a seat member, a hand-operable tool-supporting arm movably mounted relative to said base and frame, a tool supported by said arm, and means for controlling the swivel activity of said frame comprising a foot-contactin cross-bar pivoted medially of its length to t e frame, and a link pivoted to one arm of said cross-bar and to the base.

12. Manually operable excavating apparatus of a character affording compound 'vertical motion about substantially horizontal axes, said apparatus comprising a frame, a crank'lever pivotally mounted on said frame, a dipper-stick ivotally carried by one arm of said crank Fever, the other arm of said crank lever constituting a control lever for dipper-stick, and a member connected to said dipper-stick for operating the same.

13. Excavating apparatus comprising a base, a frame pivotally mounted on said base operating said crank lever, a dipper on said for substantially horizontal swivel activity,

a seat on said frame, means connecting said base and said frame for swivelling said frame, said means including a cross-bar on said frame and being operable by the feet of an operator seated upon said seat, and excavating mechanism mounted on said frame,

4 I asaam said mechanism being manually operable by the operator-seated on said seat.

14; Excavating apparatus as defined n claim 13, wherein sald excavating mechanism 5 com rises a dipper, means carrying said dipr or compound vertical motion, said means mcluding two ivotally mounted members, and means for ocking oneof said members so as to restrict the vertical motion ofsaid digper to a sim le vertical motion.

igned at eattle, Washington, this 6th day of August, 1930. v

v OTTO F. OPPERMAN. 

